Wolves in Scandinavia - past and present

(By Per Inge Oestmoen, ALPHA-gruppen)

For centuries, wolves have been heavily persecuted throughout Scandinavia. The first record of complete extermination comes from Denmark where it is thought that they were extinct as early as 1815.

In Norway and Sweden, a protracted war of extermination led to bounties being placed on wolves in both countries. In Sweden we know that bounties for killed wolves were paid as early as 1647. The Swedish 'Predator Report' (Rovdjursutredningen) from 1999 described how 6790 wolves were killed by humans in Sweden between 1827 and 1839. In fact, it is likely that not all of these were wolves, and there may have been some instances of bounties being claimed twice for the same carcass, but nevertheless the killing was vast in its scale. The Norwegian bounty was introduced in 1845 and between 1846 and 1860, 3.900 Norwegian wolves met their deaths at the hands of human beings.

In Sweden the wolf for all practical purposes went extinct in 1966 at which point it was finally granted protection. In Norway there was a small, residual population up until World War II but during the late 1940's the war against wolves was recommenced. As a result the number of wolves dwindled to a very few individuals who lived on in the deepest and most inaccessible forest areas. In 1973 it was finally realised that protection had to be given to this endangered species and in the ensuing years the population grew slowly but surely. From 1976, an increasing number of observations were reported and a milestone was reached when, in 1982, denning was confirmed in the Finnskogen area. It had certainly occurred before, but now it was proven that a reproducing and growing wolf population once more existed in Norway.

Then, in 1997-1998, the Scandinavian wolf population finally reached a level where the species became noticeable again. More tracks were found, and it was estimated that there were about 50-72 wolves living in Norway and Sweden during the winter of 1997/1998. More importantly, livestock predation by wolves increased, resulting in the registration of 622 sheep as having been lost to wolf depredation during 1999. The stage was set for conflict and the challenge was met in the worst possible way by the Norwegian management authorities and government. On February 2, 2001, the Norwegian government single-handedly and without consulting with its parliament decided upon a zoning principle as a cornerstone of Norwegian wolf management. As it now stands, the zoning of Norway implies that eight tenths of the Norwegian landmass is a forbidden area for wolves. Only in a very limited geographical area in South-eastern Norway are packs of wolves allowed to live and reproduce.

Further, the Norwegian management authorities have also determined that Scandinavia - not just Norway - needs no more than a mere 8-10 family groups/packs at most - which in practice means less than 100 individuals. Originally this figure was proposed by biologists as a critical minimum, but in the face of stiff opposition to the whole existence of wolves in the Norwegian fauna - mostly from hunting and farming interests - the Government and the Ministry caved in and interpreted it as a maximum. What is remarkable about this situation is that the Norwegian Ministry of Environment has arrogantly appropriated the right to decide not only on behalf of Norway but of Sweden too. During the winter of 2000-2001 the total wolf population in Norway and Sweden was estimated at 87-97 - hardly an overwhelming number!

Needless to say, a population of 100 individuals is much smaller than what is needed to secure genetic adaptability and long-term viability. Only a genetic exchange with wolves from Finland and Russia could render such a population viable and sustainable - and there is no such exchange.

Perhaps the most insidious effect arising from the absence of the wolf from the ecosystem is that inevitably the various prey animals adapt to a less challenging environment; as a result their "wild" capacities and strengths diminish over time until the wolf can again exert its healthy predation pressure. Prey populations thrive and grow healthy because of - not in spite of - wolf predation.

Some details of the wolf cull in Oesterdalen in February-March 2001:

An incident that drew much attention both within Scandinavia and internationally, was the wolf cull that took place in the Atndal municipality in February-March 2001. This cull, which was a governmentally decided mass killing resulting in a "harvest" of nine killed wolves, was accomplished by means of snowmobiles and helicopters. As could be expected, the spectacle of chopper-hunting with shotguns attracted much attention and strong reactions among environmentally conscious people both at home and abroad.

It is imperative to realise that this killing was a foregone conclusion, given the Norwegian policy of imposing on the wolf population the twin scourges of rigid zoning and an upper limit on the number of wolves that are allowed to exist. A free roaming and sizeable wolf population is a central element in a complete, challenging and optimally healthy Northern ecosystem, and this is what ALPHA-gruppen wants to see.

Any important goal typically involves long-term commitment and ALPHA-gruppen is prepared to continue its work for many years. Luckily, even though achieving acceptance of wolves is a task which will take many years, there are already signs that point to an increasing number of people becoming slowly more positive toward them.

An exciting and challenging time lies ahead for the Norwegian friends of the wolf.